Community Forums

John How · 10-02-2015, 06:49 PM

Here we are visiting family in Pennsylvania and soon travelling to West Virginia for more family visiting and then on south. We are from California and will probably not be here again at least in the near future. I'd love to have a look at our nations Capitol and surrounding area. We are on a somewhat tight schedule as I need to be back home in California for my daughters wedding but I do have some time and could squeeze a couple of days. What if I had just a day or two should be my priority in that area and is it even worth it if I only have a short time or should I put it off until I have more time to really look? My wife could not care less about this stuff but I'd like to have a look.

Wanabes · 10-02-2015, 09:30 PM

My husband and I just returned from a really incredible visit at Gettysburg. Not sure two days is enough though. You might have time for a scan of Manassas or Antietam. There's Arlington Cemetery where you can see the changing of the guard every hour. There's really so much of historic value to see in that area that you could probably pick a couple of smaller scale things like that for a glimpse.

JFXG · 10-02-2015, 09:43 PM

Quote:

.... I'd love to have a look at our nations Capitol and surrounding area. .....

First off, one or two days will not give you any real opportunity to see a great deal of "...our nations Capitol and surrounding area. ..", and you've got 3000 miles to get to a wedding that is likely more important than seeing the White House.

One thing you could do is take a one-day tour like the tourists do. I spent the better part of 30 years traveling, and I always found the arranged tour bus the best way to hit the main sights of a new city if I didn't have the opportunity to spend more time right away.

In the DC area there is Cherry Hill Park on the east side of the city, and Bull Run Park in Manassas on the west side.

John & Diane, fulltiming since '12
'02 DS, FL, 3126, '04 Element

Vetl82 · 10-03-2015, 06:43 AM

You could go to holocaust museum .

markmiiler · 10-03-2015, 06:57 AM

DC has a sight seeing tour that you get on and off as you please that takes you to all the heavy attractions. We camped 20 minute out of town and took the shuttle train in to the downtown capitol then picked up our sight seeing shuttle. Do NOT drive into DC

GaryKD · 10-03-2015, 09:32 AM

Hi John How,
Stay at Cherry Hill in Maryland. Do what JFXG posted. The tour buses stop at the CG. This will give you the highlights you could not do by yourself in one day. For the second day, you can take a different tour or pick out something that interests you and go do it. From this CG the bus stops at the entrance. A couple of bus stops is the commuter railway into and out of DC. For me, this is the only way to do DC when one has a motor coach and not taking a tour.

The Cherry Hill front desk people are excellent in helping you choose whatever best suits you. They sell the bus tour tickets public bus tickets and train tickets. They have detailed maps.

vsheetz · 10-03-2015, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFXG

First off, one or two days will not give you any real opportunity to see a great deal of "...our nations Capitol and surrounding area. ..", and you've got 3000 miles to get to a wedding that is likely more important than seeing the White House.

One thing you could do is take a one-day tour like the tourists do. I spent the better part of 30 years traveling, and I always found the arranged tour bus the best way to hit the main sights of a new city if I didn't have the opportunity to spend more time right away.

In the DC area there is Cherry Hill Park on the east side of the city, and Bull Run Park in Manassas on the west side.

John & Diane, fulltiming since '12
'02 DS, FL, 3126, '04 Element

I agree with the one day tour suggestion. I have traveled the world for business, adding a day or two at the beginning or end of the trip to see and learn of the destination area. Bus tours are usually excellent for seeing and learning the most in a short available time.

1ciderdog · 10-03-2015, 11:33 AM

There are many free museums and historical sites. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln monuments, WWII, Korea, Viet Name memorials, Arlington National Memorial, Smithsonian museums. It would take a real long time to see them all but a couple of days there would be a good start. The tour bus suggestion is a very good idea.

lgarcia · 10-03-2015, 03:49 PM

I live in WV, but grew up in Takoma Park. I often visit family in the D C. area. I don't bother with driving the Beltway to camp at Cherry Hill (which is a fine establishment.)

I come in 70 to 270, and camp at Little Bennett Campground near Germantown. It is 10 miles north of the Gaithersburg Metro,which gets me anywhere I want to go.

The Smithsonian Metro stop affords a whole day of sights. I am fond of the Freer Sackler Museum with Whistler's Peacock Room.

I never knew one had to pay for zoos and museums until I moved away